With its seemingly endless surf breaks, traditional fishing towns and wide expanses of farmland, Sinaloa is a beautiful state for seaside getaways and market-fresh dining experiences. Try delicious seafood dishes and regional liqueurs, listen to traditional banda music or watch locals playing ulama, an ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.
Find Sinaloa’s premier beach destination, Mazatlán, in the south of the state. Once a busy 19th-century port, Mazatlán still possesses some beautifully preserved historic architecture and a string of gorgeous beaches. Hike to the El Faro Lighthouse or join a big-game fishing charter tour. Surf, kitesurf, Jet Ski or water ski in the waters off its broad beaches. Playa Bruja is a local favorite for surfers.
Head to the state’s northern end to Topolobampo, a seaport city that looks out across the gulf to Baja California Sur. Nearby is the transportation hub of Los Mochis, which has several nightclubs that host local banda music performances. Discover the nearby islet of Farallón de San Ignacio to see a towering geological formation as well as a range of seabirds, seals and sea lions.
El Fuerte is a historic city located inland with a collection of beautiful colonial-era buildings, including pretty plazas, churches and the City Hall. The city owed its wealth to the mines of the nearby “Copper Canyon” and its opulent architecture remains well preserved. Explore the nearby rural communities for the chance to witness umala ballgames and sample damiana, a sweet local herb liqueur.
Sinaloa is a northwestern state of Mexico that stretches along an extensive strip of the Gulf of California. Sinaloa’s major international airports are in Los Mochis and Culiacán. Alternatively, ride a train to Los Mochis from Chihuahua or catch a ferry between Topolobampo and La Paz. The region can be traversed by bus but it is recommended you do not travel by car outside of the resort area of Mazatlán.